Hounslow residents could be looking at a second year of zero per cent increase in their council tax, if the council meeting on 4th March votes in favour of budget proposals.

Council Leader Peter Thompson, commented, “This year has been particularly difficult for us. Most of what we spend comes from Government and we have received the worst settlement for a decade. The below inflation settlement unfairly penalises both the Council and local residents.

“Despite all this we hope to freeze our element of the council tax for the second year running, so residents will not pay anything extra to the council.

“Many people have asked me how we have managed this with miserly settlements from central government and cost pressures. Thanks to careful financial planning, we have been able to manage without reducing front line services and we will be increasing our spending on services that residents have told us matter to them.

“We have had to take some tough decisions about how spend residents’ money. In addition we have made savings by identifying where we can do things differently, or more efficiently.

“Too many families are being crippled by high bills. It is up to us to respond by lessening our tax burden. This will be particularly good news to pensioners and those on low pay who don’t qualify for council tax benefits.”